What Happens Next
by Neon25
Summary: It's been three weeks, three long weeks. Now Fiona is out of rehab, but Adam isn't sure about the relationship. What happens next, just read to see.
1. Chapter 1

Fiona sat on the edge of her bed and sighed. She looked at the same white walls she had been looking at for the past 3 weeks in rehab.

For the first few days, Fiona had been mad at her parents, Holly J, and Adam; especially at Adam. How could he have betrayed her like that? He fooled her and then sent her away. But as time went on she realized that he only did it to help her. Sending her away probably hurt him just as much because she knew that he was in love with her.

Today she is finally leaving rehab, sober and clean. And now, as she sits in her small room, Fiona thinks of all the things she said and did that hurt Adam.

First was that party thrown specifically for her that she didn't show up to. After that there was when she kissed him and then told him to forget about it. She had seen the hope and happiness in his eyes and it crushed her to bring him down. But she had to do it. She wouldn't let her guard down, not after Bobby. And then there was the night Holly J had walked in on them. Fiona was drunk and raised Adam's hopes. Only to smash them at the Lovers' Lunch.

Fiona cringed when she thought about what she had said to him that day, that drinking makes it easier to be with him. It wasn't right to say in the first place but then to say it to Adam, a transgendered, was worse. And then she lied directly to his face when she said she loved him. She just wanted to keep him around and knew that by saying this, he would stay. It was, on that day, a flat out lie. Fiona liked Adam, a lot, but she wasn't so sure that she'd label her feelings as love (not yet anyway).

But what hurt him the most was when she said she never wanted to see him again. She was mad that he had brought her to an intervention and used his feelings towards her against him. It was a low blow and she knew it would crush him. But at the time, Fiona couldn't care less. She wanted to make him feel the same betrayal and hurt she was feeling.

Adam. He was so adorable, and not in a brotherly way, in more of a gentlemanly way. Maybe it was the way he looked at her with those cool blue eyes, or they way he always treated her like a princess that made her like him. All Fiona knew was that right now, she missed him. She missed his smile, his voice, his gentle touch, but mostly his love towards her.

The door opened to Fiona's room and pulled her away from her thoughts. Her mom peeked in and told Fiona they were ready to leave. Fiona stood up and walked towards the door.

She turned around one last time to look at the place she had stayed for the past 3 weeks. Her eyes fell to the edge of her bed, the place she was just sitting, the place that she realized that she truly was falling in love with Adam Torres.


	2. Chapter 2

Adam awoke to his cell phone vibrating. He groaned and looked up from his pillow. The clock told him that it was 10:30 am on a Saturday. Adam reached for his phone and picked it up. He had three new messages all from Eli.

_Hey man, u still asleep? – Eli sent 9:00_

_WAKE UP SLEEPING BEAUTY!-Eli sent 10:00_

_Dot? 11:00? – Eli sent 10:30_

Adam read the last text and replied, telling Eli he'd be there. Adam rolled out of bed and stood up. In a haze Adam walked to the bathroom and stripped down. He took a quick shower and walked back to his room more awake.

He pulled on his boxers and his binder, followed by a pair of loose jeans and a Dead Hand shirt he bought a while back. After spraying some Axe, Adam put on his converse and walked downstairs. His dad sat at the table reading the newspaper.

"Morning Dad," Adam said as he walked past.

"Good morning Adam. Going somewhere?" his dad looked up from his paper briefly to see Adam's shoes on.

"Um, yeah, just meeting Eli at the Dot," Adam replied. "See you later Dad." And with that Adam was out of the house and on his way to the Dot.

He arrived at the Dot at about 11:05 to see Eli sitting at a table tapping his foot impatiently while Clare looked at him obviously debating something. Adam smiled at his friends' bickering. His two friends looked up just in time to see him enter the Dot. Adam walked over and took the seat across the table from the couple.

"He lives," Eli said sarcastically. Clare slapped his shoulder and he turned to her. "What?" he said innocently.

"Ha ha, Eli, you are just so funny sometimes," Adam shot back. Eli smirked at his friend's humor. "So, what's up guys?" Adam questioned.

"Oh, not much-" Clare was interrupted.

"Check it out," Eli excitedly pulled a comic book out of his jacket and handed it to Adam. Adam's eyes opened wide as he looked at the new edition of The Goons.

"Eli, this doesn't come out for another week! How did you get it?" Adam grabbed the comic and looked at Eli who just shrugged and said, "I have my sources." The three friends started laughing. Adam got up to get some water and walked over to the counter.

After ordering a glass of water Adam heard the door chime and looked over his shoulder to see Holly J walk into the Dot. She immediately spotted Adam and made her way over to him. Adam turned away remembering the last time they spoke was the day he had sent Fiona away. He shut his eyes and tried to push the memory away.

Holly J made her way to the counter and sat down next to Adam. "Hey," she greeted him.

"Hi, Holly J," Adam said back. He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here.

Holly J spoke after a moment of silence. "I know we haven't really spoken at all so you're probably wondering what I'm doing here." Adam looked at her, silently agreeing. "Well, Fiona's coming home today," Holly J started. "Her mom thought it would be a good idea to have a small gathering of close friends to show her that we haven't forgotten about her and still support her. I thought it would be a good idea for you to come."

Adam just stared at her. "What?" Adam's voice sounded confused.

"It's at six and I really think you should be there."

Last time he heard Holly J say those words it resulted in Adam sending Fiona to rehab. Fiona wasn't all that happy about it and made it clear that she didn't want to see Adam again. "You going to be there?" Holly J's voice brought Adam back into the conversation.

After pausing for a moment to think Adam coldly said, "Well it's great that you want me to be there, but does she?" He hadn't meant to sound as rude as he did, but he couldn't help but think that Fiona still hated him.

Holly J looked at the younger boy and shrugged. She put an encouraging hand on his shoulder and then got up to leave. Just before she exited the Dot, Holly J turned back to the boy. Adam still sat at the counter obviously conflicted. She sighed and left, hoping that he would show.


	3. Chapter 3

The cold hit Holly J's face as she began to walk to the Coyne's condo. It was only 11:45 but she needed to make sure everything was set for a smooth party tonight. Holly J had to clear the kitchen of any alcohol and clean up any mess that had been left.

On her way over, Holly J kept thinking about what Adam had asked her. Did Fiona want Adam there? Or was she still angry at him? Holly J had seen Fiona when she was mad and knew that she could be very cruel and convincing. Still, Holly J wondered if Fiona was serious or if she was just trying to hit Adam where it hurt.

She was praying on the latter.

But something about that day irked her. Maybe it was the sadness in Adam's eyes as he left or the guilt she had for pushing him to help.

Holly J knew that Adam had done the right thing by getting Fiona the help she needed. He obviously cared about her enough to send her away to get help.

She hadn't talked to Fiona about Adam once because she thought it was still a touchy subject. So, for once, Holly J had absolutely no idea how Fiona felt. Normally Holly J would weasel the answer out of her but this was different. Fiona was finally getting better and Holly J didn't want to interrogate her and push her progress back.

Holly J finally reached the building that her best friend had been living in before rehab. She got into the elevator and dug through her purse for the keys to the condo. The doors opened and she stepped out and walked straight down the hallway and to the door.

As she twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open Holly J asked herself once again, did Fiona want Adam there? Was it even okay to invite him or did she overstep her boundaries? And for once, Holly J Sinclair did not have the answer.


	4. Chapter 4

Adam rested his head in his hands. Things had just started getting back to normal, or at least normal for him.

After she left, his world came crashing down. Now he knew what Drew had felt like after Vegas Night. But what Adam did was worse. He had taken advantage of Fiona's drinking problem in order to believe that she truly loved him. Of course, the whole time Adam knew something about how she talked to him was off, but he was just happy that someone wanted him.

Adam took a deep breath and got up from the counter. He turned and made his way to the door. There was no need to tell Eli and Clare he was leaving, they were probably already in a heated discussion about Twilight or something.

Feeling the cold breeze against his skin, Adam shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders a bit. It definitely wasn't this cold when he left this morning.

He began to walk aimlessly; no, he knew exactly where he was going; Adam just didn't want to admit it.

After walking through the brisk air for awhile, Adam came face to face with a wired fence. The gate was pad locked and Adam figured the police had probably done it after the anti-crackdown party he, Eli, and Clare hosted a while back. He hadn't been here since then; it wasn't filled with the happiest memories to say the least.

Adam took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed the fence. He glanced around quickly to be sure that no one was eyeing him suspiciously and then began to climb. Once he reached the top, Adam leaped and landed on the other side. He picked up his head and looked at the abandoned church.

Memories came flooding into Adam's mind. Adam's feet guided him towards one of the stone walls and he threw his back against it. He slid down the wall until he was sitting on the ground and pulled his knees into his chest and hung his head.

Adam let his mind wander into the events of the past few months.

Sitting here, now, reminded Adam of that night; the night when she left him standing there, in front of her condo, disappointed and hurt. After all the work he and his friends had put into throwing a party – specifically for her – and after all the emotion he put behind his actions, Adam should've been mad or angry but he wasn't. She had stood him up and all he could think about was her safety. God, he had spent that whole weekend worrying about her.

His worriment turned to anger when he saw her at school again. Not true, passionate anger, but a sad, disappointed anger. Despite his best efforts, it was fairly obvious that she had hit a nerve. Even though he had this pain in his chest, when they locked eyes, his heart melted.

Ugh, and her kiss! There was no way he'd ever forget it. Something about it felt right. Not just about the kiss but being near her, around her. Adam couldn't describe the feeling. It was new to him, something he had never felt before.

Adam was lost in his thoughts when he heard a twig snap. He immediately picked his head up and surveyed the area expecting to see one of his tormentors. He left out a short, relieved breath when he saw Drew making his way to him.

Drew walked over to Adam and sat down next to him. Adam stretched his legs out and just kept staring forward into the trees.

Drew didn't turn his head towards Adam but began to speak to him, "This place looks different during the day, without all the lights and the Degrassi students dancing around." Drew made sure there was not even a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He continued to look forward for a few long seconds before turning his head to look at Adam. "You okay?" he sounded concerned.

Adam shrugged. He knew his brother hated to see him so down, but he also didn't want to lie. "I guess I'm just….lost," Adam's voice trailed off.

"You're a great guy who deserves to be happy," Drew said resting his hand on Adam shoulder. "To be honest, I've never seen you happier than when you talked about Fiona." Adam slightly cringed at her name, not in a bad way but in a natural, nervous way. Even her name sent a shock through his body. "I know you, Adam, and I know that you know what's best for you." Drew stood up and looked down at his brother who finally looked up and made eye contact with him.

"How is any of this supposed to help me?" Adam was genuinely confused. Sometimes Drew could be the best brother in the world, other times he could be damn frustrating; this time, he happened to be both.

"I never said it would help," Drew began to walk away. He turned back once more to see his younger brother's helpless expression. "Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is the worst possible choice to make."

And with those wise words, Drew left Adam alone. Adam figured that Drew had probably heard someone else say those words because Drew wasn't smart enough to come up with that on his own. This thought made Adam smile, the first time since he left the Dot almost two hours ago.

He looked at his phone and got up. It was now about 2 o'clock. He didn't feel like going home, so Adam allowed his feet to drag his body through town. He kept his head down as he walked, fighting the wind. As he passed the Dot, Adam looked up to see Eli and Clare leaning across the table with their eyes locked to each others. He wanted that so badly; to be able to look into the girl of his dreams' eyes. He quickly looked away. Adam hated that his friends' had what he didn't. It was selfish, but sometimes he wished they'd just stop being all lovey-dovey long enough to realize that they were depressing him.

When Adam arrived at his destination, his heart began to race. The last time he stood right here, in this very spot, he was leaving another message on her answering machine. Adam looked up at the brick wall of her building as his mind raced.

He let out a sigh and leaned his back against the building, still wondering if he should go to tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

Holly J had just finished searching the kitchen for any hidden alcohol. She definitely didn't want Fiona to come home to a condo filled with temptation. She was about to check the rest of the condo when a movement outside caught her eye. Holly j walked over to the window to see a young boy with short auburn hair and intense blue eyes standing in front of the building. He looked confused.

Holly J just shook her head. Obviously he hadn't made up his mind about tonight yet. What else would he be doing standing outside Fiona's condo? It wasn't exactly a place filled with joyous memories.

Walking away from the window Holly J thought about Adam; he was a good kid and really did care for Fiona. He was strong – emotionally of course – to not only go to school with his head held high each and every day, but also to send away someone he truly loves to help them.

At first Holly J had been surprised by the relationship. The night she had walked in on them, she wasn't exactly sure how to react. Now, it all made sense. Fiona used Adam as an outlet for drinking. The question that still lingered in her mind was why was Fiona drinking to begin with?

Could it have been Adam and his….situation? She wasn't proud of the thought, but she had to consider it a possibility. Honestly, him being FTM didn't really matter to Holly J. She wasn't judgmental of him at all. Holly J surprised herself with how cool she was about her best friend being involved with an FTM.

But there was more to it, there had to be. Fiona knew what drinking could do; it had almost cost Fiona her case against her abusive ex.

Ah ha! Now Holly J had it. Fiona was drinking because of Bobby. Finally, she had all the pieces. Being with Adam had caused Fiona to think back to her last boyfriend. Although Adam was obviously different, Fiona still had trust issues and worried about being in a relationship. To deal with it, Fiona had begun to drink again.

Then, another thought crossed Holly J's mind; Adam didn't know about Bobby. Which meant that he didn't know about her previous drinking problems; that means that Adam didn't know he was enabling Fiona's drinking. Suddenly, everything came into place.

Holly J looked out the window again to see Adam leaning against the cold brick wall of the building. He was such an innocent looking boy, who had done everything for the girl he loves, but who knew nothing about the dangerous past that separated them now.


	6. Chapter 6

He didn't know how long he'd been leaning against her building but figured that it wasn't helping him any. So, Adam pushed his body off the brick wall and began to make his way back home.

It wasn't a long walk, but the cool air hitting his face made it seem like ages. He finally reached his house and walked up to the door. Adam unlocked the door and stepped inside, immediately hit by a rush of warm air.

After closing the door behind him, Adam glanced towards the kitchen to see a note left by his father telling both him and Drew that their parents were out at a theatre production and wouldn't be home until very late. Adam didn't mind being left alone; in fact, it was exactly what he wanted right now.

Adam trudged up the stairs to an empty second floor. Drew had probably seen the note and taken advantage of his parents' absence and snuck off to Bianca's for a "romantic evening." Adam shuddered. Just because his brother was dating her didn't mean he and Bianca had made total amends yet.

Kicking off his shoes, Adam lay down on his bed and checked his bedside clock. It was now a quarter to three. The party was in just over three hours and he still hadn't decided if he would go or not.

He sighed for the millionth time today and rolled over onto his stomach. The next thing he knew, Adam's eyes were closing and he felt himself drift off into dream land.

"Adam!" Adam startled awake and turned to see Drew sitting on his bed right next to his head.

"Ugh, can I help you, Drew?" Adam groggily said, annoyed by the rude walk up.

"Dude, how long have you been asleep? It's like, six o'clock man?" Drew asked. Adam shot up into a sitting position.

"Drew, it's six o'clock?" Adam practically screamed at his older brother. Drew just nodded at him and quickly dodged Adam as he literally jumped out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me earlier? Ugh! Never mind, you were probably just 'busy'," Adam made sure to put in air quotes. "Now I'm late to Fiona's party!" A smile tugged at Drew's lips and then be began to chuckle. "What is so funny, Andrew? Care to share?"

"Nothing, it's just that, well, you spent the whole day trying to decide whether or not to go tonight and all it took was a nap to answer your question." Adam paused. He couldn't believe it; Drew was right. He had spent his whole Saturday wondering whether or not he should go to the party, but the answer came to him subconsciously.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but you're right Drew," Adam said as we walked over to his closet.

Okay, he would have to wear something nice but not over the top fancy. No suites, no way. Adam pulled out his nice dress shoes and a pair of freshly ironed black pants. He threw the clothes on his bed and began to look through his dress shirts. He pulled out a baby blue button down and smiled. He laid it out next to the rest of his clothes and then turned to Drew. He gave him the 'you can go now' look.

Drew left Adam's room and Adam quickly shut the door behind him. He changed faster than he'd ever changed before. Every second he was still at home was a second he lost with her.

His stomach was doing flips like crazy and he finished getting dressed. He opened his door and walked into the bathroom. Adam looked in the mirror and fixed his hair, then sprayed some Axe before taking a deep breath and leaving.


	7. Chapter 7

It was six o'clock sharp and Holly J glanced around the Coyne's condo. Everyone was here; family friends, fellow diplomats, a few personal friends (including her and Sav), but no Fiona. She and her mom had gotten caught up but were on their way.

"Relax, HJ," Sav said putting his hands on her shoulders. He always knew when she got worried or anxious. "They'll be here." Holly J sighed and nodded her head. She wasn't just looking for Fiona and Mrs. Coyne.

The socialites were mingling when the condo door opened. Everyone turned to see who it was. Mrs. Coyne stepped into the room with Fiona right behind. No one yelled surprise because this wasn't a party, it was a support gathering of family and friends. Mostly everyone smiled and greeted the mother and daughter pair as they made their way through the condo.

"Fiona!" Holly J excitedly yelped, running towards her best friend.

"Holly J! Oh my God, I haven't seen you in forever," Fiona said as she embraced Holly J in a tight hug. "Hey, Sav."

"Glad to see you're doing better Fiona," Sav smiled at Fiona and gave her a friendly hug.

"What's going on here?" Fiona scanned the room.

"Your mom and I thought it'd be a good idea to welcome you home and show you how proud we are," Holly J responded.

"How sweet! Well, I guess I better change into something more party-esque," Fiona laughed and walked to her bedroom. As she walked, Holly J noticed her look around the condo and then back at the door before shaking her head. She was looking for something, or someone. Maybe the same person Holly J was hoping would walk through the door any second.

Holly J kissed Sav on the cheek before following Fiona to help her get ready.

They walked into Fiona's room. "Welcome home," Holly J said as she hugged Fiona again. "We are all so proud of you, Fiona."

"Yeah," Fiona's voice trailed off, "Not everyone." Holly J hated to see Fiona like this. She was hurt, emotionally this time. It just seemed like every boyfriend hurt her.

"Hey," Holly J tried to comfort Fiona, "We are, all of us. If we weren't, why would we be here?"

"You're right, as always," Fiona plastered a smile to her face and she picked a dress out of her closet. "Thank goodness I'm home; I was running out of new outfits to wear." Holly J laughed as her best friend walked into the bathroom to change.

Once the door closed, Holly J sat on Fiona's bed and thought about Adam. So he was a no-show; not what she had planned. Holly J knew the reason behind Fiona's actions and so in her mind, they were justified, but Adam didn't.

The door opened and Fiona walked out. She was wearing a little black dress that just hit her knees. It hugged her every curve but wasn't skanky at all. She smiled and looked at Holly J. "What do you think?"

"Wow, Fi. Couture?"

"Always," Fiona stated and led Holly J out of the bedroom. They two girls linked arms and walked down the hall, laughing and having 'girl-talk.' They reached the end of the hall and spotted two boys sitting on Fiona's couch with their backs to the girls, not noticing they were there.

Holly J let out a silent breath when she realized it was Adam and Sav. They were sharing headphones and were in a debate about music. Holly J knew that Sav and Adam had gone to a concert together but assumed they didn't talk much. However, they looked like they've been friends for years.

Holly J met Fiona's eyes and they just laughed at the boys and turned around towards the kitchen.

"No, Dead Hand still beats whatever this is," Adam said as Sav played yet another 'awesome' band.

"Agreed, but these guys are pretty good," Sav looked at the younger boy with a defiant expression.

"Whatever, they're okay I guess," Adam focused on the music. Neither of the boys had noticed the crowd shrinking throughout their debate about bands. They really hadn't spoken much other than the concert but they were really bonding at this party.

It was almost nine and the only people left were Sav, Adam, Fiona, Holly J, and Mrs. Coyne. Adam hadn't talked to Fiona all night, not at his own fault, but she was busy talking to socialites the whole night. He looked up to see Fiona and Mrs. Coyne saying their goodbyes. He looked down when Fiona shut the door and turned to Holly J. They walked over to the couch where the two boys were sitting, still talking.

"Come on, Adam, you know that song was awesome," Sav was starring at Adam.

"They were okay, but the guitar was so off beat the whole time," Adam responded, not looking up from Sav's iPod in fear of meeting Fiona's eyes.

"Oh come on-" Sav was interrupted by Holly J clearing her throat. "Hey, HJ," Sav leaped to his feet and gave Holly J a peck on the cheek. Adam didn't look up, but could feel Fiona's gaze on him.

"Sav," Holly J noticed the tension, "We should go. I need to be home soon and I need a ride."

"Um, sure, HJ," Sav looked a bit confused but went along with it. He turned to Adam. "See ya." Adam mumbled something in response but he couldn't quite understand. "And, it was good to see you, Fiona." And with that, Sav and Holly J left the condo, leaving Adam and Fiona alone.

He knew this was coming, but had hoped to put it off for as long as he possibly could. Adam inhaled deeply before standing and meeting Fiona's eyes.

"Hey," he said sheepishly.


	8. Chapter 8

Fiona finally saw those blue eyes she had been waiting to see for three weeks. "Hi, Adam," Fiona bit her lip.

They both just stood there. He broke eye contact first, nervously looking at his feet. "Um, I'm glad to see you're doing well," Adam looked everywhere but at her. He was nervous and his heart was racing. She had definitely hurt him, but he knew he still had strong feelings for her.

Fiona grabbed the younger boy's hand as she sat down. He followed suit and sat down beside her without sneaking so much as a glance at her. "I'm sorry," she wasn't sure who had said it. Adam's head snapped up and he turned towards her with a puzzled look on his face. "For everything," Fiona spoke softly and gently, honestly.

He opened his mouth to say something but shut it. Adam furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips before nodding his head. After a few silent seconds Adam faced Fiona completely and looked into her eyes. "I only have on question for you, Fiona; just one. Why?" Adam sounded hurt, but determined.

It was the only question that had been bothering him these past few weeks. Why was she drinking to begin with? Holly J had mentioned a past of drinking, but never once hinted at why. Adam kept his eyes on Fiona as she looked away. Her eyes shut for a moment as she took a deep breath, conjuring all of her courage.

"Last year, my junior year," Fiona was looking at the floor, "my brother and I transferred to Degrassi from a private school. He and I were outsiders at first, but then Declan found Holly J. At the end of the year, my mom told us we'd be moving back to New York. I was happy, excited even, to be going home." Adam looked at Fiona and could tell this was hard for her. "Declan didn't want to be apart from Holly J and so he invited her to stay with us for the summer."

Honestly, Adam was lost. So far, none of this had anything to with him or drinking. He was confused as to how all this related to his question, but continued to listen intently, hanging on her every word.

"I guess that's just when I snapped. Declan was so into Holly J that he and I barely spent time together anymore and I just couldn't deal with that," Fiona shut her eyes and cleared her throat before she continued. This would only keep getting harder. "I don't really know what happened but one night, at a party, I…I kissed Declan." Adam tried to keep his eyes from widening in shock. Fiona looked up at Adam for the first time and a faint smile appeared on her face when she saw Adam's look of bewilderment.

"My family sent me to the Hamptons for therapy after my little stunt. Everyone thought I was crazy. Could you blame them? Twincest, that was the headline of the newspaper. God, it was terrible. I spent the whole summer in the Hamptons. Therapy really helped me. I returned home just before the end of summer. My mom introduced me to Bobby Beckonridge, a young, wealthy socialite."

Suddenly, Adam remembered what she had said about New York a while back; something about New York City royalty, charming on the outside, vile on the inside.

"We seemed like the perfect pair. But, we weren't. When Bobby started….pushing me, I refused; I just wasn't ready. He wasn't happy about that and….and," Fiona's eyes began to water and her hands started to tremble. "Bobby hit me. He gave me a black eye. He apologized, but when I caught him cheating and confronted him about it, he threw me down a flight of stairs."

Adam tensed. He could relate to the physical pain, but it hurt him more when it was Fiona that had experienced it.

"I ran away from New York and came back here, to Degrassi. I didn't know what else to do," tears were falling from her eyes and Adam could do nothing but sit and listen. He wanted to console her, but he had to hear this – no matter how painful – for both their sakes.

"Anyway," Fiona said wiping the tears off her face, "my mom found me and we pressed charges against Bobby. She let me stay here at Degrassi. Everything was going well until the trial came back up. I needed to give my deposition and my therapist offered me anxiety pills to calm me. But only crazy people take pills, and I was so not crazy. So, I started to self medicate- with champagne."

Adam was still confused. Was the trial going on right now? Why hadn't she told him about it? Did he remind her of Bobby? He couldn't help but think back to the times when he was with her. Was he ever violent? Did he do something that hurt her? Adam couldn't remember any time he had done anything to hurt her. This just left him even more confused.

"It took a while, but Holly J and my mom helped me stop drinking just in time for my deposition. I thought I was done drinking, forever. It had almost cost me my case against Bobby. But then you came along," Fiona looked at Adam. His face immediately went sour and she regretted her word choice. "No! I don't mean it like that. Ugh, I messed up again! I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, I'm all ears," Adam looked into her eyes as if he were seeing right through her.

Fiona took a deep breath. "It's just, whenever I'm near you, I open up. I let my guard down and that scares me. Last time I let my guard down near someone….." her voice trailed off. "I was just scared."

"Fiona," Adam called to her, "were you afraid of…me?"

Fiona nodded her head as tears began to form in her eyes again.

Adam closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Are you still afraid of me?"

Their eyes locked. Adam could see it in her eyes; she was still slightly afraid of him. "Fi," Adam said as he grabbed her hand, "there's no reason to be afraid of me." Fiona looked away. "Hey," she turned back to him, "why were you afraid of me? I mean, I'm not exactly a bodybuilder," Adam tried to lighten the mood with a joke and got a small smile out of Fiona.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't look at me the same way. I didn't want another person to look at me with eyes full of disappointment," Fiona sighed. "I'm just the Crazy Coyne."

Adam smirked. "You're more than that." Fiona smiled and wiped the mascara off her cheek. Adam leaned back so that he back was flat on the couch but his head was supported by the armrest. He tucked his right arm under his head and thought. This was a lot to take in.

His eyes shut briefly. Suddenly, he felt light pressure on his chest. He opened his eyes to see Fiona laying her head on his collarbone. Her back was against his body and their feet were intertwined. Adam reached his arm across Fiona's body and held her right hand with his left. He watched as she tangled her fingers with his. A smile found its way onto his face and he saw Fiona's face light up when he buried his face in her hair and kissed her head lightly.

They just lay like this for a while, both very happy.

"Adam?"

"Yes, Fi?"

"Are we, you know, together?" Adam was caught off guard. He hadn't really thought about it. He did love her, with all his heart, but there was something holding him back.

"Fi," Adam's smile faded. "I…I love you…" he cautiously said before his voice trailing off.

"But?" Fiona sounded upset.

"But I don't want to rush anything," Adam wasn't really sure why he was saying this. He loved her, and so why wasn't he 100% ready to be with her? "I think we should take things nice and slow."

"What does that mean?"

"That means that we should start hanging out before we give 'us' a label," Adam looked at Fiona. She looked up at him.

"I can do that."


	9. Chapter 9

Adam woke up early the next day. It was eight in the morning so his brother was undoubtedly still asleep and his parents were at church; his father praying for a pay raise, his mother praying for Gracie. Adam was glad that his parents only made Drew and him go every other week.

He swung his legs off the side of his bed and sat up. Adam rubbed his eyes and stretched out his arms. A yawn escaped his mouth and he stood up.

It was Sunday so he didn't need to wear his school uniform. Instead, Adam took a quick shower and put on a pair of jeans and a plaid-patterned button down. He scribbled a short note saying that he'd be at Dot for his parents or Drew (which ever found it first). He then walked outside and shut the door behind him.

A soft hand shaking Fiona's shoulders brought her out of her deep sleep. Fiona sat up and stretched her arms as the hand left her shoulder. Her eyes opened to see Holly J sitting on her bed looking at Fiona intently.

"Holly J? What are you doing here? What time is it?" Fiona questioned her one and only friend.

"It's nine in the morning, Fi. And you and I are going shopping," Holly J didn't ask.

"Not that I don't love shopping," Fiona rubbed her still heavy eyes, "but don't you think that could wait until like, noon?"

"I have to be at work at two and I want to know what happened after I left last night," Holly J answered as she got up from Fiona's bed and made her way out of her room. "We'll leave in twenty?"

Last night? Oh! Fiona remembered talking with Adam. Of course Holly J wanted the whole story. Fiona smiled to herself as she stood up and walked into her closet. She pulled out some designer clothes and accessories and got dressed.

"Ready?" Holly J said as Fiona emerged from her bedroom. Fiona nodded and she and Holly J left the condo for the mall.

Adam pulled the door to the Dot open and walked inside. It was early so the Dot was practically empty. Adam looked towards the counter and made eye contact with Peter. Peter nodded and began to make Adam's latte.

Over the past three weeks, Adam had spent a lot of his free time at the Dot with Eli, Clare, Drew, and even Wesley and Connor from the science team. He and Peter had gotten to know each other and now Peter knew Adam's drink by heart.

Peter finished with Adam's latte and brought it over as Adam took a seat at the counter. He gave Peter the money and took a sip.

"Have fun last night?" Adam turned to see Sav sitting a few seats down to his left. Adam shot him a puzzled look as he drank more of his latte. "After HJ and I left; I know there's something going on between you and Fiona." Sav got up and moved closer to Adam. His last comment had gotten Peter's attention.

"Fiona? As in Fiona Coyne?" Peter asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, Fiona Coyne," Adam said to Peter.

"That's the girl you've been moping about for the last three weeks?" Peter asked again as if everything was just starting to make sense.

"Pete, calm down," Sav turned to face Adam. "And you, start talking."

"There's nothing to talk about," Adam said looking down at his latte. "After you and Holly J left, we just talked."

"About?" Sav pressed.

Adam sighed knowing he wasn't going to win. "She told me about her past and about her drinking problem."

"Her past? She told you all of it?" Sav asked Adam cautiously.

Adam gave Sav a puzzled look. "What? Wait, did you know about…everything?"

Sav let out a short laugh and put his hand on Adam's shoulder. "Dude, I'm dating Holly J, aka Fiona's best friend. I know just about everything."

"Okay, I think I have waited long enough; start talking," Holly J said as she and Fiona entered the mall.

"I think I like this dress better," Fiona held up a strapless blue dress and tried to switch topics.

"Oh no, you are so not getting away that easy," Holly J said taking the dress from Fiona and standing in front of her. "What happened last night?"

"We talked."

"And?" Holly J looked at her friend frustrated. "What did you two talk about?"

"About Bobby and the twincest and my drinking," Fiona answered nonchalantly. Holly J just stared at her. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were huge.

"Just like that, Fi?" Holly J asked skeptically.

"Well, yeah. He deserves the truth, Holly J," Fiona responded slightly annoyed.

"And? How did he take it?" Holly J was searching Fiona's face for any giveaways. She hadn't seen Fiona texting Adam at all, but that didn't mean anything.

"So, how'd you handle it?" Sav asked knowingly. Holly J constantly worried about Fiona and Sav was always there to talk about it. He had learned quite a bit about the socialite and had to admit, she was a bit off.

"As well as I could I guess," Adam shrugged. "I mean, it was a lot to take in, but she's still the same Fiona to me. And that's all I could ever want; that's all that really matters."

Sav looked at the younger boy as did Peter. They gave each other the 'he's got it bad' look and then turned back to Adam

"So, are you two like, an item or something?" Peter pressed. Adam just looked down at the counter as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "Hello? Earth to Adam," Peter waved a hand in front of Adam's face.

"Or something," Adam responded after waiting a few more minutes. He looked up to see both Sav and Peter confused. "You asked if we were an item or something, so I answered or something."

"What exactly does that mean?" Sav was still extremely lost.

"It means that we aren't necessarily a couple, but we won't be seeing anyone else," Adam explained to the older boys. "I think," he added softly at the end. Peter just smirked and walked away to take the order of one of the few occupied tables.

"Adam was," Fiona paused for a moment to think of the perfect word, "understanding."

"Understanding?" Holly J let out short giggle. She linked arms with Fiona as they walked throughout the mall.

"Yes, Holly J, understanding," Fiona emphasized. "It was important for him to know everything."

"Why?" Holly J asked. She was genuinely curious about why Adam needed to know all of Fiona's difficult past.

"Because, if I want the relationship to go anywhere then we need to honest with each other. And, plus, he was so open and trusting and honest with me about being transgendered," Fiona tried to get Holly J to understand. But Holly J wasn't there that day when Adam came clean to Fiona. She hadn't seen the nervousness or fear or pain in his that Fiona saw. Fiona knew how scary it was for him and she had felt guilty ever since for not being as open with him.

"So, are you and Mr. Understanding officially a couple now?" Holly J joked around. This got a light-hearted smile from Fiona.

"I'm not sure, actually," Fiona thought about it. She had asked him the very same question – to which he told her that he still loved her – and still didn't quite get the answer.

"Well, did you guys kiss?" Holly J pressed further hoping to get a 'yes-no' answer.

Fiona laughed at her friend's quesitoning. "No, we didn't kiss. He said he didn't want to ruin anything and just wanted to take it slow."

"What is it, Fi?" Holly J worriedly asked sensing there was something Fiona wasn't telling her.

"Well," Fiona began, "he said he loved me, but he doesn't want to be with me. I just don't get it."

Holly J had to admit that she too was stumped by this. If Adam loved Fiona, then why did he want to take it slow and not become a couple right away? Was he hiding something? That was the only reason anyone wouldn't want to be with the one they love. But Holly J wouldn't dare say this to Fiona; they were having a good day so far and she didn't want to ruin it with accusations. Instead, Holly J just shrugged and pulled Fiona along as they walked into another fancy dress shop.

"Why?" Sav asked Adam who looked dazed.

"Huh? Oh, why not be a couple, right. Um, I just don't want to rush things and ruin it all over again," Adam tried to make an excuse. Actually, thinking about it, he didn't really know why.

"Whatever, kid," Sav rolled his eyes and turned away from Adam.

That's when it hit him. Adam sat there and scanned the Dot just to see who else would be there this early on a Sunday morning. His eyes landed on Peter taking the order of a couple of kids. He wrote down the order on paper and Adam's mind snapped to the note.

He hurriedly rushed out of the door and to a bench nearby. Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside his wallet, Adam had the note Holly J had given him three weeks ago when he sent Fiona to rehab. It had given him some hope about the future of his and Fiona's relationship. But it was also what was holding him back.

There were a few things that seemed fishy and off about the journal entry. First was the nonexistent date. The fact that the page hadn't had a date of entry made Adam think that it could've been for a past boyfriend or something. Even though now he knew about Bobby, he still couldn't help but think that it might have been for Bobby at the early stages of his and Fiona's relationship.

Then there was the entry itself. It bothered him. Maybe it was that she never used a name; or maybe it was that the note was so general. Honestly, he didn't know. There was just something about it that irked him.

Lastly, it was one of the sentences in the note. At the end, the note talked about there being a million reasons why she and the person she was writing about shouldn't be together, but she hoped they'd work out. Adam wasn't sure that he liked the fact that (if truly about him) she was worried about what everyone else thought and that she never implied fighting for the relationship to work out.

Maybe he was just over analyzing things. Adam knew he had a tendency to do that.

He just sat there. He thought about texting Fiona asking how she was and if Holly J had grilled her just like Sav did to him. But he decided against it knowing that they weren't officially a couple…yet. There was always hope for the future.


	10. Chapter 10

Her alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. She reached over to hit the snooze button and the beeping stopped. She just lay there for a few minutes, but eventually she sat up and stretched. A quiet yawn escaped her lips and she swung her feet over the bed. She rubbed her eyes as her feet slid into designer slippers waiting at the foot of her bed. She pushed her body up and dragged her feet into the kitchen. When she opened the fridge, cold air rushed out at her. She reached in and pulled out the almost empty orange juice.

_Better than champagne_, she thought to herself as she poured herself a glass. After putting the juice back, Fiona made her way back to her bed room. She put her now empty glass on her dresser and made her way to her bathroom.

She took a quick shower. Then she styled her hair perfectly because she didn't want to look like a mess on her first day back at school after rehab. After applying her makeup, Fiona walked back to her bedroom and immediately went into her walk-in closet. She sighed, knowing that she didn't really have any choice of what to wear today.

_Stupid crackdown_, she thought as she got dressed in her blue polo and oh-so-fashionable khaki skirt. But, at least Fiona knew how to accessorize. With her blue bow tie in her hair and her student identification card around her neck, Fiona left her condo for the awaiting taxi outside.

The ride to school was short, maybe 15 minutes. The whole time Fiona sat and thought about him. She still had a few questions for him, but was so glad they reconnected. Still, she couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't wanted to be 'together.' Well, they weren't official, but they wouldn't be with anyone else. Not that there were too many people lined up to be with him.

_Oh my god, did I just think that? _But Fiona knew she was right. Hell, it was something he himself had told her that night of their first kiss.

The taxi stopped in front of Degrassi and Fiona stepped out. Normally, she'd go straight to her locker and then to meet Holly J at her locker and then head to class. Today, however, Fiona immediately caught site of the boy she couldn't stop thinking about leaning against his locker.

Adam was talking to Drew, who just so happened to have the locker next to his. It was no accident. Mr. Simpson had made sure Drew's locker was by Adam's to keep Adam 'safe.' Adam and Drew were in some debate about something because Adam just looked frustrated as Drew animatedly talked as he threw his hands everywhere. Fiona smiled at the boys together.

She watched Adam crack a smile at something Drew said and then start laughing. Drew looked mad and walked away, leaving Adam by himself in a laughing fit. Fiona took this chance to make her way towards him. He must've heard her heels against hitting the floor because he looked up just in time to see her stop next to him.

"Morning, Princess," Adam said still smiling. He pushed his body off his locker and was standing tall in front of Fiona.

"Good morning, Adam," Fiona gave him a small smile. They locked eyes as Adam opened his mouth to speak.

"Can I walk you to your locker?" Fiona just nodded her head. She was slightly surprised that he didn't offer his hand for her to hold, but then quickly realized that they weren't together…yet. But he had done so much for her that she figured she could take their relationship slow for him. "How was your day yesterday? I was going to text you, but I woke up really early and didn't want to wake you," Adam said as they walked side by side.

Fiona flashed Adam a smile as they stopped at her locker. He leaned his shoulder against the next locker and watched her intently as she opened her locker. "Holly J and I went shopping," Fiona spoke without looking at Adam. "She asked about you." Fiona stopped what she was doing and turned to face him.

Adam started to laugh. He saw Fiona's quizzical face and explained. "I was at the Dot with Sav and he grilled me about Saturday night after he and Holly J left the party. You would think that the pair only needed one set of answers and they'd share with the other."

It was Fiona's turn to laugh. "You obviously don't know Holly J like I do. She needs more than one source. Let's just hope our answers match."

"Yeah," Adam responded carefully. Fiona knew there was something on his mind, but didn't press it. The bell rang and Fiona shut her locker. They said a quick goodbye and Adam brushed past her on his way to first period.

Fiona walked into her class just as the bell finished ringing. Holly J was already sitting there. "Held up by Mr. Torres?" she asked.

"Very funny, Holly J," Fiona took her assigned seat right next to her best friend. "But, yes. We were talking about you and Sav interrogating us separately yesterday." Fiona glared at Holly J who threw her hands up in defeat.

"I didn't know Sav was going to talk to Adam. You can't blame me," Holly J said and Fiona's playful glare softened.

Math was not Fiona's strong suit. Hell, no subject was. Luckily, the period went by fast and so did the next few. Soon, it was time for art. Fiona took her seat at the back table. Adam wasn't here yet, but she was excited to see him.

Fiona opened her sketch book and looked over her drawings from when she was in rehab. Drawing was her 'creative outlet' for expression. The early ones held the anger she had towards her family, Holly J, and Adam. But then they turned into softer, gentler drawings. She came across one and just looked at it.

It was her holding hands with someone, but that person was cut off. She had never finished it. She flipped the page to the next one. The next paper looked like a 12 year old girl's notebook when she had a crush. The page was covered with Adam Torres and hearts with his name and hers.

"Someone was thinking of me," Fiona jumped at Adam's voice. He just laughed a little. She glared at him and he immediately stopped. "Sorry, Fi." Adam sat down next to her. "I like that page," he pointed towards her open sketch pad.

"Take it," Fiona ripped it out and gave it to Adam. He took it and smiled broadly.

"Wow, Fi. Thanks a lot," he faced her and looked into her eyes. "I'll keep it forever." And he meant it.

Fiona gave him a genuine smile and scooted closer to him. Their shoulders were touching and the electricity between the two was crazy.

_Finally, back on track_, Fiona thought.

Adam, however, had a different thought. And it was eating him from the inside out. _Now's not the time to bring it up; she's so happy_, Adam knew he'd have to bring it up eventually. And he would…eventually.


	11. Chapter 11

Adam had been acting weird all day. Or was it just her? Fiona didn't know. After giving him the page from her sketch pad, they just sat in silence during the rest of art class. Of course, they kept stealing short, loving glances at each other the whole time, but she knew something was wrong.

The bell rang and they both took their time cleaning up. Fiona had just put her colored pencils away when Adam spoke to her for the first time in almost an hour. She was beginning to miss his voice.

"Fi?" Adam pushed both their chairs in. Fiona turned around and noticed it was now just the two of them. "Want to hit the Dot after school today? My treat," he smiled at her, but his eyes seemed worried, like he had something on his mind.

Fiona walked up to him and looked around before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. It was the first kiss she'd been able to give him since before rehab. The feel of his warm skin under her soft lips was pure bliss. She could practically feel the spark between them as she pulled away. He looked a bit shocked, but didn't seem to mind very much.

"Of course, Prince Adam," she grabbed his hand and intertwined her fingers with his and smiled. Adam watched her intently, keeping his gaze on her. Her smile made his eyes light up and for a split second, Adam couldn't even remember why he felt so guilty. But the moment she pulled away and mouthed her goodbye, Adam remembered.

He sighed and watched her walk out the door. Fiona looked back at her…boyfriend? No. Friend with benefits? No. She looked back at the most confusing, loving, caring, honest boy in the world who she one day hoped to be able to call hers one day and then left him in the classroom to meet up with Holly J.

Adam just stood, now alone, in the art room. He was thinking of how to tell her what's been eating away at him in a gentle way. Honestly, he couldn't. He knew he'd regret it later, but Adam was going to have to be blunt about it.

And that thought scared him almost as much as what Fiona's reaction might be.

Then again, he might be making a big deal out of nothing. Okay, sure Fiona had shared practically her whole life story with him Saturday night and had been so open and honest, but he was entitled to some secrets right?

Adam stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked out of the art class hanging his head. His next period was lunch, but Adam didn't feel much like eating. He walked down the crowed hallways as they slowly started to empty before next class. Upon reaching his locker, Adam noticed a post- it note stuck to the door. He looked around before reaching out to pull it off.

He knew exactly who it was from because on it was a heart surrounding his name and Fiona's. It wasn't Fiona's handwriting; it was Eli's. Eli just loved to bust Adam's chops about how "ga-ga" he was for Fiona. Adam rolled his eyes at the note before opening his locker.

He grabbed a few of his books for his next couple classes. Just as he was about to shut his locker, the door swung shut. Standing behind it was none other than Bianca DeSousa. Although she had been dating Drew and they had made amends, Adam didn't expect her to talk to him unless absolutely necessary.

"Can I help you?" Adam asked slightly annoyed, but partially confused. He flirted shamelessly with Bianca earlier in the year which led to his secret being exposed. Needless to say, they didn't really hang out much.

Bianca crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at a now extremely confused Adam before speaking. "So, does Baby Torres have a girlfriend now or something?" Adam's jaw clenched. She had said it so rudely and so bluntly that Adam had taken offence. It also made Adam think of just how Fiona would feel if he was this blunt with her. "Hello? You there? I asked if you had a girlfriend or if I'm just seeing things."

"What are you talking about Bianca?" Adam was now staring her down. He had to admit she and Drew weren't bad together (although Drew and Alli were better), but he couldn't see what Drew really saw in her.

Bianca sighed and uncrossed her arms. She leaned her shoulder against the adjacent locker. "Are you and Fiona Coyne dating?" Bianca came across much less defensive. Adam narrowed his eyes.

"What's it to you, Bianca?" Adam knew better than to think that Bianca cared. There was always something in it for her, always.

"Look," Bianca was suddenly defensive again, "if you and Coyne are together then finally Drew will shut up about how miserable you are when we're hanging out. You and I aren't friends, I just tolerate you because of Drew, so I don't need him to be talking about you whenever we're making out, okay?"

Wow, Adam hadn't expected that. She just wanted her time with Drew to be her time with Drew and not her time with Drew talking about Adam. Adam was actually speechless; Bianca had rendered him speechless not by cruelty but by honesty.

Adam just stood there staring at her, silent. Bianca waited a few minutes for a response, but when she got none, Bianca just shook her head, turned around, and walked away. Her words rang in Adam's head and echoed with each step she took.

Now, Adam was past confused to extremely conflicted. Bianca had made it pretty clear that she didn't want Adam single because it was effecting her time with her boyfriend. She wasn't the only one. Ever since rehab, Eli and Clare have spent less time alone together and more time with him. And although Eli was good at hiding it, Adam knew that they just wanted some time to themselves without a third wheel.

Adam slammed his back against the locker and sunk down. He titled his head back and shut his eyes. Any random passerby might have thought he was in pain or something. Well, in a way he was. He was pained by his own selfishness. Adam knew that Fiona wanted to be officially together the moment she asked the question. Being with her would give his brother and his friends their time and give Fiona the boy she wants, but Adam had been selfish; he asked to take things really slow. But he had good reason; he didn't want to get burned again.


	12. Chapter 12

The moment Fiona walked into the Dot she knew something was wrong. Adam was sitting in a secluded booth in the back tapping his foot impatiently…or nervously. He was looking down at his folded hands resting on the table and seemed to be deep in thought. He didn't even notice her walk into the Dot.

Fiona just shrugged it off thinking that Adam was just being shy or something. But deep down, Fiona knew that there was something bothering the young boy. There were times when she could read him like a book, and then there were other times when she looked into his eyes and couldn't unscramble the mess of emotions she saw. This happened to be one of the latter times.

Adam finally looked up when the chair across from him was tugged away from the table. Fiona sat down and put her purse down by her feet. He watched her as she scooted the chair closer to the table. Their table was small, very small. He hadn't meant to pick it but it just so happened that the table was small enough that their faces were close.

_Too close_, Adam thought to himself. Fiona finally settled and turned to see Adam staring at her. His gaze made her blush slightly and he couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Hey, Fi," Adam imitated the conversation. He figured he might as well start talking because for once he had something to say. Adam averted his eyes as to not look Fiona in her eyes. He put on a fake smile but knew that Fiona would see right through it.

She looked at him for a moment, taking him in. He had a false smile plastered on his face, his leg hadn't stopped shaking since before she got here, and he wouldn't look her in the eyes. He was looking off into space, totally zoning out. Fiona just frowned a bit and then sighed. "Adam, what's wrong?"

"Huh?" He snapped out of whatever trance he was in. "Nothing, nothing's wrong. I'm fine."

"No you're not," Fiona insisted while shaking her head. "You've been acting strange all day, Adam. And I'm worried." Silence. He still hadn't met her eyes yet. "Adam, I know what it's like to hold in emotion. Trust me, it sucks."

At this Adam scoffed. He shook his head and Fiona furrowed her eyebrows. Adam looked up at her finally to see her with a mix of anger and confusion. "Trust _me_, when I say that I think I know a little bit more about holding in emotion," Adam raised his eyebrows as he emphasized the 'me.'

Then he fell silent again. His eyes left hers and Fiona felt him distancing himself. "Adam, holding in emotion is dangerous and can hurt you. I did it with drinking. Sometimes it's just better to talk it out. You know, let those you love in," Fiona confidently and firmly. She was concerned about Adam. It wasn't a secret that he had been tormented by Fitz, Owen, and Bianca. So she knew that he really held in a lot of his feelings. Fiona reached out to grab his hands but he pulled back. Now she was confused. Was he mad at her? Did she say something? "Adam, I'm just trying to help you. I know what it's like – "

"No you don't, Fiona," he cut her off sounding a bit angrier than intended. "You don't get what it's like to hold in so much anger, pride, hurt, confusion, and…and every other emotion a human can possibly feel while trying to make everyone think you're content and happy to be who you are. You don't have to hold in all your emotions to try to convince everyone that you are who you are and not someone else."

"What are you talking about?"

Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Fiona didn't know what it was until he opened it and passed it to her. Adam then resumed his posture of staring at his hands.

"Adam," Fiona was now annoyed and upset, "where did you get this?" He didn't answer. "Adam. Answer me. Did you go snooping through my journal?"

His head shot up at her accusation and she immediately regretted it. "Well, I'm glad you think I'd invade your privacy like that," he said both sarcastically and angrily. "And no, it was given to me by Holly J the day we had the intervention. She wanted to make sure I knew how you felt." Adam looked up to see Fiona confused. "Go on, read it."

She took a deep breath afraid of what she was about to read. Fiona read through the whole entry and at first didn't remember it. Then, it all came back to her; when she wrote it, why she wrote it, and who the 'you' was in it. Fiona gulped ever so slightly hoping that Adam wouldn't notice. He didn't because he was still staring at his hands.

"I need to know something," Adam said taking a breath and shutting his eyes for a minute. "I need to know who this was about." He pointed to the entry that Fiona was not clutching tightly.

"Why? I mean, what does it matter? I could've written it years ago or even in the early stages of my Bobby relationship. Why does it matter who it's about?" Fiona got defensive quick.

Suddenly, Adam's eyes pulled away from his hands and now held Fiona's eyes in a lock. "I don't care if it was written years ago, I care about who you were writing about."

"Why?" Fiona demanded. Her voice raised just a bit, enough to turn a few heads which snapped away instantly.

"Because that entry is the only thing that gave me hope while you were away that my love for you wasn't worthless. But it also is what is keeping me from you," Adam lowered his voice. "Because that note bothers the hell out of me, Fiona. And…and…I just need to know."

Fiona shook her head. "I don't remember writing it, sorry. I couldn't tell you who it was about even if I wanted to."

"That's a lie, Fi, I can tell. And I understand that the note may be personal, but guess what? Not telling me, even if it is about someone else, is hurting me more than if you were to just tell me," he said, his voice seething with pain and fragility.

Fiona rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Adam was being overdramatic. "And how could me not telling you it wasn't about you, crushing all your hopes, be better for you? Huh? Tell me, Adam!" Fiona's voice kept getting louder and louder. "Tell me!"

Adam shot his arm out and pulled up his sleeve. "This is what it is doing to me, Fiona!" Fiona stared wide-eyed at the burn marks on Adam's arm. "Before Adam, I'd burn the pain away. And now, by keeping secrets from me, you're making me go back to who I once was to burn away the pain you cause!" Adam had tears threatening to fall from his eyes. His voice had risen and now people were watching the young coupled fight. "You don't get it! I love you, and you're killing me!"

Adam pulled his sleeve down before shyly looking around at all the eyes on him before launching himself from the table and hurriedly walking out of the Dot. Fiona just sat there in awe of what just happened. He was right, her secrets were killing him.


	13. Chapter 13

Fiona got up and ran out the door after the boy she kept falling in and out of love with. She emerged from the Dot to see Adam standing at the curb. "Is that why you don't want to be with me? Because I'm killing you?" Fiona spat out angrily.

Adam didn't turn around to face her nor did he respond. Fiona walked up behind in and twisted him around. He refused to meet her eyes.

"Is it? Tell me, Adam!" Fiona got loud again. She was trying to be calm but she didn't understand. What was she keeping from him? Why was she keeping it from him? She knew the answers; she just didn't want to admit them.

"It's so much more than that," Adam said just above a whisper. His hands were dug deep into his pockets and his head hung low. He looked defeated, lonely, and miserable.

Fiona immediately softened towards him. "What happened to us? We used to be so comfortable," Fiona said with tears forming in her eyes.

"We kept secrets we shouldn't have kept. And now, we're suffering," Adam shrugged. He had asked himself the very same questions and this was his best answer. In his mind, it made sense, but in Fiona's mind, it sounded like he was blaming her.

"So, it's my fault that you don't want to be with me? It's my fault that I wrote a journal entry – never meant to be seen by anyone but me – about someone else because I have feelings for them? That's why you won't be with me? And here I was thinking that out of anyone in the world you'd be the one to understand," she yelled. Fiona was shaking her head at Adam who still hadn't met her eyes. She was growing sick of this fight. And then she realized what she said; she had feelings for someone else.

"Honestly, Fiona," Adam looked up with pain and anger in his eyes, "I don't care who you have feelings for anymore because I know it's not for me." Adam began to walk away before stopping, turning to face Fiona again, and speaking. "And you want to know why I _can't_ be with you? It's because I feel obligated to be. I feel like I have to be with you to appease everyone else; to give Bianca her time with Drew without him talking about me, to give Eli and Clare time alone without me as their third wheel, to give my parents less worry, and to give you what you want when you obviously don't really even want me. And I shouldn't feel obligated to be with someone, I should just know I should be," he spoke with angst. Adam sighed before walking back up to Fiona. This time he held her gaze with his blue eyes locked on hers. "Oh, and trust me, I understand what it's like to have no control over how you feel inside, but at least I know enough to trust those who I care about to tell them. Obviously, I don't even mean enough to you to know who you wrote the letter for."

And with that, Fiona watched the boy that had put up with her when she was drunk, listened to her when she was troubled, helped her up whenever she feel down, and had sent her away to make her better walk away without another word.

Every word he had said was true. Except for one thing. It wasn't that she didn't trust him or care about him enough to tell him how she was feeling; she didn't trust herself. Adam meant more to her than anybody else in the world, even Declan. And that was exactly why she couldn't tell him, because she loved him too much.


	14. Chapter 14

Fiona stared at her feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world while in the elevator. After her talk – no, argument with Adam, she just went home. Fiona hadn't had the best track record when it came to facing her problems, but with her new technique, she had confidence that she could be alone in her condo without drinking (not that there was any alcohol anymore).

Her condo door squeaked and Fiona made a mental note to get that fixed soon. She didn't even bother taking off her horrid Degrassi uniform; Fiona just fell onto the couch and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Adam had been hurt. And it was her fault.

That was all she thought about; Adam. Ever since they met he had been honest and caring while she had been lying and deceitful. Deep down, she knew she never really deserved him, but something in her told her that they were meant to be together. They had this crazy connection that she had never felt with anyone before. When their eyes met, he would peer into her soul and she would get a first-hand look at all the pain, suffering, and hurt he had gone through. What type of person would hurt such a sweet, innocent boy like Adam? Oh, right; her.

Sighing, Fiona's thoughts turned to the journal entry she had made just days before being sent to rehab. Adam had been right to question who it was about because Fiona didn't even know herself. It reminded her of the drawing from her sketch pad; the one showing her holding the hand of someone cut off by the edge of the page. She just didn't know how to complete the drawing and, likewise, didn't know whose name to fill in the 'you' of the entry.

Suddenly, the image of Adam's burned arm invaded her mind. She tried to shake the memory but it came flooding back. Most of the marks had seemed quite old, maybe a year or so. Others seemed relatively new; as in the past few weeks new. Fiona wasn't stupid; she could put two and two together and end up with four. Adam had burned himself while she was away because of her insecurities with who she was.

It wasn't that Fiona didn't know she was Fiona; it was that Fiona didn't know who she wanted to be with. Actually, thinking about it now, Fiona realized something she hadn't before. She knew she wanted to be with Adam for more reasons than she had time to list, but she questioned why.

Ever since Declan and Holly J broke up and Fiona and Holly J became close friends, Fiona developed feelings for her and could never really name what they were. She didn't think it was just friendship but wasn't sure if it was love. And now, Fiona blamed these weird feelings for the blowout with Adam.

The situation wasn't complicated, yet Fiona had trouble figuring it out. But after lying on her couch for what seemed like hours staring at the ceiling, Fiona was able to simplify her issues to this: she didn't know who she wanted Adam to be.

Her mind was screaming at her, telling her that she just wanted Adam as Adam the way he is now.

But there was something inside her, a small voice that said she didn't want Adam but instead wanted the girl he once was.

Fiona felt tears escape her eyes and did nothing to hide them. She was here, in the privacy of her own home, by herself and so she cried. The sound of rain drops hitting the window slowly meshed with silent tears she shed as Fiona wondered if there was any way to fix the mess she had unintentionally created.


	15. Chapter 15

He had always loved showers. They were a time for him to reflect on himself and his life. Showers were what had showed him that Gracie didn't exist, and never really did. It's ironic really; how he hated his body as if it were a cage to hold him prisoner, and yet Adam relished the times when he was naked, with steam around him and water droplets hitting his back rhythmically.

But this wasn't a shower; it was a downpour.

Adam sat on a bench across the street from Degrassi Community School. He thanked Degrassi for giving him a fresh start as Adam, leading the life he always wanted to lead, but hated it for the continuous heartbreak it caused. First was Bianca who revealed his secret, getting him thrown through a glass door and leading to Drew fighting. Then Degrassi introduced him to Fiona Coyne, the girl he loved. The girl who had recently been tearing his heart into tiny little pieces.

His hair was matted down by the rain and his clothes were sticking to his body. The impact of the droplets on the bench, the sidewalk, and the other objects nearby reminded Adam of the shower. It was a hard rain and Adam thought back to something his mother used to say when a storm rolled in: "Looks like heaven has opened its gates and here comes the flood."

In this case, the heavens were crying for him and the flood was emotion raging inside him.

For as much as he wanted to hate Fiona right now, Adam couldn't; he loved her and always would. He let his tears fall roll down his cheeks alongside the rain. There was no need to bottle up his emotion right now. It was late enough that there was no one around to see him broken like this. If there had been, he would've put up his strong front and taken out his pain and anger on himself later in the comfort of his bathroom.

What was she doing right now? Adam scoffed. _She's probably already with whomever she wrote that entry for,_ Adam thought. But deep down, he knew that wasn't true; she was probably just as hurt as him. He said some harsh things but didn't regret any of it. He told her what he was feeling and that's all that mattered.

Adam was done getting burned by Fiona Coyne. Because, in essence, that was what was happening. Fiona would do something and Adam would self harm to let out his emotion because of it. But he decided it was time to stop and just let his emotion out. Fiona was right, bottling emotion was dangerous.

The rain came down harder and Adam heard thunder as the sky lit up with a flash of lightning. He sat there in the middle of a brewing storm, sulking. His eyes shut and pictures of Fiona formed in his mind. Adam tried to push them away but they kept coming back.

Adam leaned his head back and let out a heavy sigh. Why did his life have to be so damn complicated? When did it become a soap opera filled with drama?

"Adam!" Adam didn't move at the familiar sound of Eli's voice. Eli's feet smacked against the ground as he ran towards Adam. "Adam!" Eli called again. Again, Adam didn't respond. Eli slowed as he approached the bench. "Adam," Eli whispered before kneeling down by his friend.

Eli had heard about Adam and Fiona's loud argument; then again, who hadn't? Instantly, Eli knew that Adam needed a friend and so he ran out of his house to find him. Drew had called Eli multiple times, worried about his little brother, but Eli assured him that Adam would be found and was perfectly fine (well, besides for an aching heart).

Adam had stopped crying when he heard Eli the first time, but he knew his face showed streaks left only by tears. Eli knelt by his friend in silence for a few moments. Taking the hint that Adam wasn't going to start talking, Eli decided he would.

"Sometimes, crying helps," Eli knowingly advised Adam. At this, Adam turned his attention to Eli. By now, both boys were soaking wet, but neither seemed to mind too much. "I know it's hard, but heartbreak takes time," Eli was trying to be comforting.

He knew all too well about heartbreak. Eli's situation with Julia was different than Adam's with Fiona, but the outcome was similar. Not to mention the ups and downs he experienced with Clare. Heartbreak was all too familiar with Eli, but this was Adam's first time and he wasn't taking it well.

Adam stayed silent as Eli waited for some sort of response or indication that Adam was still alive. His foot was falling asleep from crouching, but Eli didn't care because right now his best friend, who was there for him all the time, needed him. Tears began to fall from Adam's eyes again as he took in Eli's words.

"And until that time is up and you're ready to go, I'll sit here with you," Eli assured Adam with sincerity. Adam was hurting and Eli wasn't about to leave him to his own devices; he knew all too well what Adam would do if left alone.

A small, barely visible smile found its way onto Adam's face. "Thanks, you're pretty cool," Adam's voice was weak and soft. The beating rain almost drowned him out.

Eli smirked. "I've heard that once or twice," he said as they sat there and fell into comfortable silence again. And this is how they would stay until Adam was ready because Eli wasn't about to give up on his friend.


	16. Chapter 16

"You sure you're alright man?" Eli asked concerned. Adam shook his head as he got out of Morty in front of his house. He didn't trust himself to speak right now.

Eli watched from the driver's seat as Adam trudged up the driveway with heavy feet. It was still raining, but had lightened up a bit. Adam turned back to Eli before shutting his front door behind him and waved. Eli nodded in response.

They had sat at that bench for almost an hour in silence. Eli kept his eyes on Adam the whole time. Adam was new to this kind of pain; the pain caused by love and heartbreak. Although he didn't know all the details, Eli had heard that Adam and Fiona had gotten into a loud argument at the Dot earlier. No two witnesses could agree on what was said between the couple but everyone agreed on one thing, Adam's arm. He had, apparently, shown Fiona his bare arm with burn marks from his wrist to his elbow joint. Then there were a few accusatory remarks said and the two stormed out of the Dot. Then, the argument continued but no one caught what was said.

Eli wasn't going to push Adam to tell him the events of that night because he knew better. Adam was fragile right now and probably felt weak; something Adam didn't handle well. Eli had been able to send a mass text while sitting there by Adam without him seeing to Drew and Clare saying that he found Adam and would return him home soon, but that he needed to be kept under a watchful eye.

He had just pulled away from Adam's house when a familiar Dead Hand tune filled in inside of his hearse. Eli reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. The caller ID showed Clare was calling and Eli instinctively smiled. They had their ups and downs, but he loved Clare with all his heart.

"Hey," Eli answered his phone.

"Eli? Is he home? Is he alright? Oh god, tell me he's okay! Did anything happen? Like, did he hurt himself? Where'd you find him?" Clare spoke rapidly with worry and concern in her voice. She too had heard about the fight between Adam and Fiona and knew that a pained Adam was a self-destructive Adam.

"Yes, Clare; Adam's fine. He's definitely hurt, but that's to be expected," Eli kept calm as he tried to assure Clare of Adam's safety.

"Did he tell you anything?" Clare asked. Like Eli, Clare knew very little of the incident other than there was an argument and that Adam revealed his burns to Fiona in public.

Eli sighed. "No, he didn't really say much at all. I did most of the talking," his voice held sadness for his friend. "Adam's really broken up about the whole thing, but I doubt we'll get him to talk much."

"So what do we do?" Clare asked. Eli stayed silent. He didn't know. There was no way to help his friend if he didn't even know what happened. "Well…I mean we could….we could just…you know…" Clare's voice trailed off on the other end of the line.

"What is it, Edwards? Spit it out," Eli told her. He could tell Clare sort of plan.

"Well, I was just thinking that I would be helpful to have the full story and since Adam won't talk…" her voice trailed off again. Eli caught on and finished for her.

"We could talk to Fiona," Eli said knowingly. It wasn't a bad idea, but it wasn't the best either. "But, what makes you think she'd want to talk to us?" Eli questioned. He didn't want to screw up Adam and Fiona more than they were already.

"She definitely wouldn't talk to _us_," Clare began. Eli knew were this was going. "But she might talk to _me_."

Eli thought for a moment. That actually made sense. He would drive Clare over to Fiona's condo and she would tell Fiona that she was worried about her. Eli would wait outside as Clare slowly weaseled information on the days' events out of Fiona. She would then report back to Eli and they would figure out how to fix this together.

"What do you think?" Clare asked hopefully. Eli smirked, but realized that Clare couldn't see him.

"I think that's actually not half bad, Edwards," Eli said confidently. "So, I'll come by and pick you up?"

"Um, yeah. Could you? Then just drive me over to Fiona's," Clare said.

"Alright, Blue Eyes. I'll be there in ten," Eli hung up the phone. He then hooked a sharp left to head towards Clare's house. _Let's hope this works_, Eli thought.


	17. Chapter 17

Clare got out of the hearse and looked back at Eli once more. He gave her a reassuring nod and smile before driving off. Clare turned and found herself face to face with Fiona's building. She took a deep breath and walked up to the door.

Taking deep breaths, Clare gently knocked on Fiona's door. There was no response and Clare was totally ready to leave right then, but she knew she couldn't. So, Clare balled her hand into a fist and rapped on the door loudly. If there was no response to that then Fiona was definitely not home or just not going to answer.

The door was pulled back. "Clare?" Fiona asked staring at the younger girl. Clare took in the sight of Fiona. She was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and a pair of skinny jeans. Her makeup was barely visible and her hair was in a messy bun. Clare had never seen Fiona look anything less than beautiful and fashionable; she always looked like she belonged in a magazine.

Clare reached out and pulled Fiona into a hug. She felt bad for the older girl. Fiona hugged Clare back and it was at that moment that Clare felt bad for what she was doing, pretending to be worried about Fiona to then just turn around and fix Adam.

Their embrace ended and both girls were teary eyed. They saw each other and laughed a little as Clare stepped into the condo. After closing the door, Fiona and Clare sat on the couch.

"Hey," Clare started to talk. She felt bad for what she was about to do; she felt dirty. "How are you holding up?" Fiona shrugged as if she was fine, but Clare knew better. "I'm worried about you," Clare pressed. Maybe Fiona would open up if she thought Clare was there to help.

"Adam talk to you?" Fiona questioned as tears began to slowly fall from her eyes. Clare looked at the wreck of the older girl and shook her head.

"Actually, I haven't talked to Adam at all; only Eli has and they didn't even talk," Clare said. Fiona gave her a puzzled look so Clare explained. "Apparently, Adam went running and no one knew where he was. Eli, Drew, and I went searching and eventually Eli found him at the bench across from school. I talked to Eli, but he said Adam didn't say anything; he just sat in the pouring rain silent."

Fiona looked out her window and Clare figured she was probably debating whether to talk to Clare or not. "Eli said Adam was in pretty bad shape and took him home. When I heard that I figured if Adam was in bad shape that you might be too and thought maybe you could use a friend?" Clare ended in a questioning form.

It wasn't her true intentions, but it wasn't all false; she was worried about Fiona, but that wasn't why she was here. Clare had to keep that in her mind; she was here for answers.

"Yeah, it'd be nice to talk to someone. It just sucks, you know?" Fiona said shakily as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I mean, I thought everything was going so well; I thought we were back on track. I guess I was wrong."

"What happened?" Clare asked her with both curiosity and sincerity in her voice. "I know there was an argument, but that's all."

"Well," Fiona became uneasy. Was she really about to complain about Adam to one of his best friends? Then again, she really could use a friend to talk to right now and Clare was here offering. "We met at the Dot after school. He had been acting strange all day so I asked him what was wrong. He tried to pretend he was fine but I told him that bottling emotion was dangerous; I knew from experience. Then he said he did too, but I pressed further. He just seemed so conflicted and I wanted him to be able to talk to me, you know?" Fiona's eyes watered again and Clare pulled her in for another hug. Fiona didn't continue and Clare figured she was probably unsure whether to continue or not.

"It's okay Fiona, "Clare soothingly said. If there was one thing Clare Edwards was good at, it was getting people to calm down (except for Eli of course). "You can tell me; nothing you say will be repeated. I promise," Clare felt regret saying these words as they left her mouth. She was going to break her promise and she knew it.

"Then he pulled out a journal entry Holly J had given him the day they sent me away," Fiona said with tears steadily falling down her face now. "He asked who I wrote it about because it was the only thing that gave him hope for us while I was away."

"That's what he meant when he talked about knowing you two would be okay," Clare concluded. Adam had constantly been talking about 'just knowing' things would work out.

"But the note never used a name or anything. I told him I didn't remember writing it or who it was about, but he called me out on lying. Then he….he…," Fiona paused as she brought her hands to her face. "He showed me the burn marks and said that he loved me and I was killing him."

Clare's thoughts immediately went back to that day she found Adam dressed as Gracie at the picnic tables. He had a lighter in one hand and a pained expression on his face. Clare was never able to get the image of him burning himself out of her head. Every time she saw Adam she saw the fragile boy who had so much strength to be who he was.

Fiona sniffled before continuing with the story. "I followed him out of the Dot and asked him if the note was why he didn't want to be with me. He said it wasn't that he didn't want to be with me; it was that he felt he had to. He said that being with me would accommodate everyone, but him; Bianca would get time with Drew without him talking about Adam, his parents wouldn't worry about him as much, you and Eli wouldn't have a third wheel, and I would get the boyfriend I wanted. But he said I didn't really even want him."

"Why would Adam say something like that?" Clare asked confused. Adam was never judgmental, ever. He always tried to see the best in people even if it wasn't really there.

"Because I told him I wrote the note about someone else because I have feelings for them," Fiona's voice cracked and she broke out into tears again. She sounded so guilty and so hurt that Clare almost began to cry.

"Is that true, Fiona?" Clare asked gently so that it didn't seem like she was mad. Fiona shook her head as tears fell off her chin and into her lap. "Then why, Fiona?"

"I don't know," Fiona admitted. "I just wanted Adam to get off my back, but I didn't want to lie to him and tell him it was about him."

"Wait," Clare said pulling away from Fiona a bit, "if it wasn't about him, who was it about?" Fiona didn't answer. "You don't have to tell me, I was just – "

"No, I'll tell you," Fiona said reluctantly, but with a hint of relief. "After I came back there has only been one steady person here for me; Holly J. She pretty much takes care of me all the time and is almost always there. I guess I developed some sort of deep connection to her and mistook it for something it wasn't."

Clare thought for a moment before it hit her. "You thought you were in love with Holly J didn't you?" Fiona nodded and began to cry again. "But you weren't; you just developed…codependency." Fiona looked at Clare and gave a 'yeah, that makes sense' smile.

"I wish I could take it back, but I can't," Fiona said with remorse. "And now Adam hates me and we will probably never talk again." There was so much sadness and disappointment in her voice that Clare felt like she and Eli were doing the right thing. "I just hope Adam's okay," Fiona said trailing off. "Well, you should go, Clare. It's getting late and don't saints have a bed time?"

"Sarcasm; now you're sounding like my boyfriend," Clare playfully joked and Fiona gave her a genuine smile. "But yeah, you're right; I should get going." Clare got up and made her way towards the door. "Hey," she turned back to Fiona, "if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. Okay?"

Fiona nodded and Clare walked out of the condo. She had all the information and now she and Eli just needed to develop some sort of plan to make everything right.

It was going to be a long night.


	18. Chapter 18

"So, what now?" Eli asked. Clare had just filled in him on everything Fiona said. The whole time she said how guilty she felt for breaking her promise to Fiona, but Eli kept telling her it was going to help Fiona in the end. Now, they both sat in Morty wondering how they were going to get the two back together.

"We could just shove them both in a room," Clare suggested. Eli scoffed.

"And what? Lock them in until they kiss and make up?" Eli asked sarcastically. Clare shied away from him embarrassed by her pitiful idea. "They'll just end up yelling at each other again. Then we end up back at square one. We need them to decide to be together on their own; we can't force them."

He was right, and Clare knew it. If they tried to push Adam and Fiona together, the two would end up fighting and, not only be mad at each other, but be mad at her and Eli. But still, she didn't know how to speed up the making up process.

Eli looked off into space. How was he going to make Adam fall in love with Fiona again? He thought about why they ended things; she _thought_ she loved someone else. But she didn't. How was he supposed to prove that? Better yet, how was he supposed to get Fiona to prove that? One of them, either Adam or Fiona, needed to be the one to make a move. Which was easier to crack?

"Clare?" Eli called out to Clare who was also staring off into space. She turned towards him. "Who do you think is weaker, Adam or Fiona?"

Clare looked blankly at Eli. She wasn't sure what he meant by that. "Um..well…uh…" Clare stammered. Eli laughed a little at how cute is girlfriend was when she couldn't form sentences. "What do you mean?" Clare finally asked.

"I mean," Eli said devilishly, "which one do you think will give in first, Adam or Fiona?"

"Um, I don't know. Why?"

Eli shrugged. "I was thinking that if we figured out which one was more likely to go running back to the other, then we could find a way to speed up the process."

Clare thought about that for a moment. He had a point. Everything in life was about finding the weakest link and this was no different. But who was it? Then Clare had an epiphany.

What if the weakest link wasn't Adam _or _Fiona? What if it was someone who affected both of them? Then, that person could make the two bond together and rediscover their feelings for each other through some sort of possible 'tragedy.' It was crazy, but crazy might be what they need.

Eli noticed the thoughtful expression on his girlfriend's face. "What are you thinking, Edwards?"

"Maybe…maybe we don't need to know who's weaker than the other," Clare said. Eli looked at her puzzled. "We need to find someone they have in common; someone that is important to both of them equally." Eli still looked lost.

"Why?" Eli asked skeptically. Then it hit him. He looked at Clare for confirmation to what he was thinking and she gave him a 'no duh' look. He smiled. Now, all they had to do was to find this common person and set them to good use. "Or…maybe someone that means nothing to either of them at all," Eli added mischievously.


	19. Chapter 19

It had been a few days, but eventually Eli and Clare had developed an almost foolproof plan.

Sadie Rowland, Dave Turner's girlfriend, otherwise known as the random freshman that neither Adam nor Fiona know or cared about, was going to be the subject of the plan. She would walk into the gym later that week during the food drive cleanup (sure it had ended weeks ago but there were still piles of boxes). Only Adam and Fiona would be there packing away boxes in awkward silence as Drew would be at practice. Sadie would enter and 'volunteer' to help out because she had 'gotten a detention.' While helping out Adam and Fiona she would break down and force Adam and Fiona to work together and rediscover each other to help her.

It was almost foolproof. Almost.

There was always a chance that Fiona wouldn't be there; but she needed the community service time. There was always a chance they'd yell and scream and hate each other more; but they did love each other and just needed to find each other again.

Smiling, Eli and Clare walked hand-in-hand through the doors of Degrassi. After a quick detour to their lockers, the happy couple was on their way to class still smiling.

The smiles were wiped off when they saw Adam and Fiona talking by her locker. There were no googley eyes. They were not leaning into one another. There was no flirty banter that could be obvious from miles away. They both stood facing each other melancholy.

Adam had his hands buried deep within his pockets. His head was tilted slightly down and his eyes refused to meet Fiona's. She wasn't looking at him. Fiona had her eyes towards the floor as well. She slouched a bit and clasped her hands together in front of her. Both looked…uneasy.

Eli and Clare watched from behind a group of freshmen as Adam nodded his head slowly. He said something and then began to walk away, brushing past her as he went. He stopped and said something else to Fiona before continuing on his way. He still held an anxious look, but there was also anger buried deep within. Fiona held a faint smile.

"What do you think that was?" Eli asked Clare.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure," she said. "But they're talking right; we can take this as a good sign?" her voice held hope.

Cautiously, Eli nodded his head. He wasn't sure what, but something told him that the conversation wasn't about them. _What would push them together again on their own terms?_ Eli found himself asking. He didn't know, but he wanted to find out.

Clare looked at her boyfriend who was obviously deep in thought. She wondered what he was thinking. Probably the same thing as her; what the hell just happened? And what did it mean? Was their plan a no go anymore? She wasn't sure.

"Ahem," someone called from behind them. A senior stood pointing to the locker Eli and Clare were blocking. They backed away and continued on their way to class. Both vowed to find out what was going on because neither of them liked to be kept in the dark.


	20. Chapter 20

The bell rang and Adam bolted from the classroom and into the hallway, leaving a confused Eli and Clare behind him. He didn't even notice the quietness of the pair in English class today. His mind was a bit preoccupied.

Rushing through the hall and pushing past globs of students, Adam's mind was racing. What happens now? What could he do? Was there anything he could do? How could he help?

And yet, he had no answers.

Adam gave a relieved sigh when he saw her at her locker. He slowed his pace and strolled up beside her. He kept on hand tucked deep into his pant pocket while the other one held his books at his side.

Eli and Clare watched Adam from a distance as he approached Fiona's locker and they began talking. Neither said a word. Instead, the two got as close as they could without looking conspicuous. Now, they were within ear shot and could make out the conversation.

"…so when does it start?" Adam asked Fiona sadly.

"I don't know," Fiona answered. Then, in a softer, almost inaudible tone, she added, "But I'm so scared."

Adam took a step closer to her. "You don't have to be," he said pulling his hand out of his pocket and tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "I'll be right here for you." His voice had shifted from strained and upset to confident and comforting.

Fiona lifted her head to look Adam in the eyes. "Thank you," she smiled.

In return, Adam smiled and brushed her cheek as he removed his hand from her hair. Fiona lightly tilted her head into his touch.

"Anything for my princess," he said.

"Adam," she whispered.

"You know I love you, right?" he asked suddenly. Fiona nodded her head and reached out to caress the back of his hand on her cheek.

"And you know I love you, right?" she asked. Adam just sighed a sad, depressing sigh. Fiona straightened up a bit at his non-answer. "I do, Adam; I really do. You may not believe me, but I love you with all my being."

"But why would you love me? How could you love me?" he asked melancholy as his hand fell from her face.

"Because you're you and I happen to be in love with you," Fiona said, her voice filled with sincerity. "And because, even after our little blowout, you're still willing to be here for me in my time of need."

She reached her hand out and intertwined fingers with Adam. He looked down and smiled at their hands before suddenly leaning forward and meeting Fiona's lips with his own. The kiss was short and sweet, but more than enough for the two of them.

That was when Eli and Clare had enough of filling in the blanks with assumptions. They shared a brief look before revealing themselves to the smiling pair.

"Alright," Eli announced, "I give. What's going on here?"

Adam faced Eli and then looked back at Fiona before saying anything. "Nothing really," he answered.

"Then why is it that all the sudden the two of you are all lovey dovey again?"

"Um, well, it's just-" Adam was cut off.

"I have a trial coming up with my abusive ex and told Adam about it. He promised that even though we weren't on the best of terms that he would be there for me," Fiona glanced at Adam with love obvious in her eyes.

Eli and Clare stared at her wide-eyed. Neither could believe what they just heard. Clare looked at Eli before she said anything.

"Um, wow," Clare said breaking the awkward tension with an unsure statement.

Fiona sighed at the discomfort. She wasn't surprised by the silence but this wasn't exactly how she planned on telling anyone.

"Wait," Eli interrupted the silence once more. "How does that lead to the two of you locking lips?" Although it was a playful question, it held curiosity.

"I guess we just don't work well when we're apart," Fiona shrugged.

"Disgusting," Eli commented. This earned him a slap on the arm from Clare. "What?" he asked innocently.

Clare shook her head and turned her attention to Fiona and Adam who were now holding hands and in the middle of a staring contest. "Well, I think it's sweet," she said lightly.

"You would," Eli mumbled. Clare sent him a pointed look.

"Me too," Adam said softly still staring into Fiona's eyes and genuinely smiling.

He leaned in and met her lips once again in an act of pure love.

FIN


End file.
